Ambassador to Belgium: Azerbaijan wants a solid foundation for EU relationship

Baku. 9 January. REPORT.AZ/ Azerbaijan is interested in a solid basis for relations with the EU. 

Report informs, Head of the Azerbaijani Mission to the EU, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belgium Fuad Isgandarov said in his interview with Euroactiv.

He noted that, Azerbaijan was the first country in the history of the European Union that managed to present a new draft agreement as a partner country. It had never happened before because usually the European Union presents the draft and then both sides work on it."

"Azerbaijan cooperates with EU as a real partner. In the field of energy, in the framework of the Eastern Partnership, security, migration management, in different areas. We do not expect any miracles from this collaboration, we have a very pragmatic view on it. All elements of the political dialogue should be based on a very solid foundation. This means, for example, that the Southern gas corridor, which we are now taking to Europe, is a good economic basis for our cooperation now and in the future. Also of course connectivity and transportation are important", said the ambassador.

F. Isgandarov greeted issuing EU mandate to start negotiations with Azerbaijan on strategic partnership agreement. "I hope that negotiations will begin soon. They may be difficult, but I am sure the result will be known in coming months.

Commenting on the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and the EU's role in this issue, the ambassador noted that "Armenia would like to keep the status quo, but all the others want to change it because it is absolutely unacceptable when one country of the Eastern Partnership is occupying the territory of another country. I think we need to involve the European Union to be more vocal about this."